Clinical findings of conservative cases with a coronally oriented vertical fracture of the posterior region of the C2 vertebral body.

PURPOSE: This report describes the characteristics of conservative cases with a coronally oriented vertical fracture of the posterior region of the C2 vertebral body.

METHODS

Eight consecutive patients with a coronally oriented vertical fracture of the posterior region of the axis body who received conservative treatment were retrospectively reviewed. All the patients were male. The average patient age at injury was 71.4 years. The medical records of the patients were reviewed, and we identified the fractures associated with the cervical spine, other associated spinal fractures and the details of conservative treatment.

RESULTS

Six patients had associated cervical spinal fractures, such as Jefferson fractures in four cases, spinous process fractures of the lower cervical spine in two cases, a teardrop fracture in one case and a unilateral spinous process fracture of C2 in one case. Two patients had associated spinal fractures in the thoracic spine. All the patients acquire solid bony fusion, including fusion of the associated cervical spinal fractures.

CONCLUSIONS

The patients with a coronally oriented vertical fracture of the posterior region of the C2 vertebral body consisted were all elderly males in our study. Six of the eight patients demonstrated associated cervical spinal fractures; however, all patients acquired solid bony union, including fusion of the associated cervical spinal fractures. We suggest that a Philadelphia collar may be sufficient for conservatively treating coronally oriented vertical C2 body fractures, including associated cervical spinal fractures.